Biology ยท Geography

Fossils and Geological Eras

1,140 Questions

Fossils and geological eras provide a window into the history of the Earth. This topic covers prehistoric life, mass extinctions, and the geological time scale. It is an important part of the general science syllabus for many aptitude tests.

Geological time scaleTypes of fossilsPrehistoric lifeAncient climates

Fossils and Geological Eras Questions

Multiple choice

What is the name of the eon that began 541 million years ago and ended 252 million years ago?

  1. Paleozoic

  2. Mesozoic

  3. Cenozoic

  4. Precambrian
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Paleozoic eon is the second eon of the Phanerozoic supereon, and it lasted from 541 million years ago to 252 million years ago.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a period of the Paleozoic eon?

  1. Cambrian

  2. Ordovician

  3. Silurian

  4. Jurassic
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Jurassic period is a period of the Mesozoic eon, not the Paleozoic eon.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the mass extinction event that occurred at the end of the Permian period?

  1. The Great Dying

  2. The K-T Extinction

  3. The Ordovician-Silurian Extinction

  4. The Triassic-Jurassic Extinction
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Great Dying, also known as the Permian-Triassic extinction event, was the Earth's most severe known extinction event, with up to 96% of all marine species and 70% of all terrestrial vertebrate species becoming extinct.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a period of the Mesozoic eon?

  1. Triassic

  2. Jurassic

  3. Cretaceous

  4. Devonian
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Devonian period is a period of the Paleozoic eon, not the Mesozoic eon.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the mass extinction event that occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period?

  1. The Great Dying

  2. The K-T Extinction

  3. The Ordovician-Silurian Extinction

  4. The Triassic-Jurassic Extinction
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The K-T Extinction, also known as the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, was a mass extinction event that occurred 66 million years ago, and it is believed to have been caused by the impact of a large asteroid or comet.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a period of the Cenozoic eon?

  1. Paleocene

  2. Eocene

  3. Oligocene

  4. Carboniferous
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Carboniferous period is a period of the Paleozoic eon, not the Cenozoic eon.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the current epoch of the Cenozoic eon?

  1. Holocene

  2. Pleistocene

  3. Miocene

  4. Pliocene
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Holocene epoch is the current epoch of the Cenozoic eon, and it began 11,700 years ago.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the idea that life on Earth originated from an asteroid?

  1. Asterogenesis

  2. Panspermia

  3. Lithopanspermia

  4. Exogenesis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Asterogenesis refers to the idea that life on Earth originated from an asteroid, while panspermia and lithopanspermia deal with the transfer of life between celestial bodies in general.

Multiple choice

Which of these is a type of fossil?

  1. Footprints

  2. Bones

  3. Eggshells

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Fossils can include any preserved remains or traces of ancient life.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the geological era that began about 252 million years ago and ended about 66 million years ago?

  1. Mesozoic

  2. Cenozoic

  3. Paleozoic

  4. Precambrian
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Mesozoic era is also known as the 'Age of Dinosaurs'.

Multiple choice

Which of these is an example of a transitional fossil?

  1. Archaeopteryx

  2. Tiktaalik

  3. Ambulocetus

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Transitional fossils provide evidence of evolutionary links between different groups of organisms.

Multiple choice

Which of these is an example of a mass extinction event?

  1. The Permian-Triassic extinction event

  2. The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event

  3. The Ordovician-Silurian extinction event

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Mass extinction events are periods of rapid and widespread species loss.

Multiple choice

Which of these is an example of a living fossil?

  1. Ginkgo biloba

  2. Coelacanth

  3. Tuatara

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Living fossils are organisms that have survived relatively unchanged for millions of years.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the geological era that began about 66 million years ago and continues to the present day?

  1. Cenozoic

  2. Mesozoic

  3. Paleozoic

  4. Precambrian
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Cenozoic era is also known as the 'Age of Mammals'.

Multiple choice

Which of these is an example of a Burgess Shale-type fossil?

  1. Anomalocaris

  2. Hallucigenia

  3. Wiwaxia

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Burgess Shale-type fossils are exceptionally preserved fossils from the Cambrian period.